Improvement in tobacco-cutters



L. E. HEATON. Tobacco-Cutter;

No. 212,931 Patented Mar 4, I879.

WITN ESSES ATTORN EY N. FETERS. PNOTO-UTHOGRAPHER. WASWNGTON, D18.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIGE.

LEWIS E. HEATON, OF FROVIDENOE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF HIS RIGHT TO SAMUEL BARE, OF SAME PLACE.

IM P ROVEM ENT IN TOBACCO-CUTTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 212,93h, dated March 4, 1879 application filed December 7, 1878. v

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, LEwIs EDWIN HEATON, of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Pocket Plug-Tobacco Gutters; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the'annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a representation of a cross-sectional view of my improved pocket plug-tobacco cutter. Fig. 2 is a side view thereof. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the same, and Fig. 4 is a detail.

This invention has relation to devices for cutting plug-tobacco into small particles for the use of smokers; and it consists in the construction and novel arrangement of the handle or frame, its gage and guard, and the serrated blade, having its teeth turned toward the gage, as hereinafter shown and described.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter A designates the handle or frame of .this instrument, consisting usually of an elongated guard portion or bar, I), and the end lugs, c, projecting therefrom in the same direction, and serving for the attachment of the blade D, which is secured thereto by screws passing through its ends into said lugs. The end lugs c are reenforced on their faces, forming offsets 0, whereby the blade is held at a short distance from the plane of the gagesurfaee g of the guard-bar b, and said lugs are sufficiently long to enable the blade to be located with its line of teeth toward the inner edge of the guard or gage bar without overlapping the same.

, The teeth a of the blade are beveled on both and as the teeth are located along the middle of the instrument and turned toward the guard, it is not apt to catch inthe pocket or injure other articles therein. In order, however, to provide a cover for the teeth when the instrument is not in use, a metallic shield, H, is pivoted at the end of the serrated blade. This shield is of elongated form, as shown in the drawings, and is made with an edge flange, 7a, which extends along the tops or points of the teeth when the shield is closed thereon, forming a perfect protection. The elongated form of the shield enables it to be used as a pipe-cleaner when open, thereby forming a very convenient addition to the instrument.

To use this device, turn back the shield and take the guard between the thumb and fingers, with the shield toward the little finger. In this manner the instrument can beheld steadily while the end of the plug is drawn back and forth on the teeth, being at the same time held against the gage side of the guard-bar.

If the gage requires to be changed in order to cut the particles larger or coarser, this may be accomplished by the introduction of washers between the ends of the blade and the end lugs of the guard or handle.

Having described this invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A pocket tobacco-cutter consisting of a hand-frame, A, having a gage portion, 9, and

a serrated blade, D, attached to said frame, and having its teeth turned toward the gage portion, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with a pocket tobaccocutter consisting of a hand-frame having a gage portion and a serrated blade, of a fold ing shield, H, forming also a brace and pipeeleaner, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

LEWIS E. HEATON. Witnesses:

J OHN 0. Poems, GILMAN E. J OPP. 

